For people with diabetes, monitoring and managing blood sugar levels can be a delicate balancing act. While certain lifestyle changes can help, such as following a healthy diet or regularly exercising, some patients—with the guidance of their medical teams—may elect medication options.

One prescription, known generically as metformin or by the brand name Glucophage, “regulates your blood sugar and helps your body use insulin effectively,” according to the Cleveland Clinic. But some health experts have discussed it as a potential “wonder drug,” citing how it’s been found to help with other health concerns, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or weight gain for patients taking certain types of medications.

Another possible benefit may have just been discovered, says a group of researchers from Australia. Their randomized clinical trial, which was published in JAMA in April, set out to answer a simple question: Would taking metformin help osteoarthritis patients with knee pain?

A total of 107 non-diabetic participants were part of the trial, all of whom had knee pain associated with osteoarthritis and were considered either overweight or obese. The study’s lead researcher, Flavia Cicuttini, PhD, pointed out that helpful treatments for this condition “were limited,” according to a press release.

An estimated 32.5 million American adults have clinical osteoarthritis, with the knees or hips being the most common areas affected, according to past data from the National Library of Medicine.

The trial’s participants, who had an average age of 60, were either given “up to” 2,000 milligrams of metformin daily or a placebo. The trial lasted for six months, and the individuals received follow-up through telemedicine.

When asked to rate their knee pain on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the worst, the trial found:

  • The group who received metformin “reported a 31.3 point reduction in pain” after the six-month period
  • Those in the placebo group, comparatively, reported an 18.9 point reduction in pain

“This was considered a moderate effect on pain,” according to the press release, which was put out by Monash University in Australia.

The results could offer doctors a different approach for assisting patients, especially since knee replacements—which are costly and aren’t a guaranteed fix—are often offered as a treatment option.

Said Dr. Cicuttini, the head of Monash University’s Musculoskeletal Unit: “Metformin works in a number of ways on the knee, including affecting low grade inflammation and other metabolic pathways that are important in knee [osteoarthritis]. It is a different way to treat knee [osteoarthritis] pain.” Cicuttini is also the Head of Rheumatology at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Because doctors are already aware of metformin as a safe and low-cost medication, Dr. Cicuttini also suggested the drug “could be provided to patients in addition to other treatments they use and has the potential to delay people having knee replacements before they are absolutely needed. If people on metformin have less knee pain and are able to do more physical activity, then knee replacements can wait.”

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Molly Jasinski
Molly Jasinski has worked as a writer, editor and social media manager for almost 15 years. She previously worked as an editor for the magazine Birds & Blooms. She’s also held other positions at Trusted Media Brands, working on direct-to-consumer books, editing special interest publications, and assisting with digital production and social me...
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Molly Jasinski